Vermont Hemp Farming Bill Becomes Law

MONTPELIER, Vt., July 1 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Vote Hemp, a
grassroots advocacy organization working to give farmers the right to grow
non-drug industrial hemp, is extremely pleased that the Vermont Secretary
of State's office accepted Formal Opinion #2008-1 from the Office of the
Attorney General and gave H.267, the Hemp for Vermont bill, the designation
of Act No. 212 last Friday. There had been a constitutional controversy as
Governor Jim Douglas forwarded H.267 to the Secretary of State intending it
to become law without his signature. The bill had overwhelmingly passed
both the House (127 to 9) and the Senate (25 to 1). The new law sets up a
state-regulated program for farmers to grow non-drug industrial hemp which
is used in a wide variety of products, including nutritious foods,
cosmetics, body care, clothing, tree-free paper, auto parts, building
materials and much more. Learn more about industrial hemp at:
www.VoteHemp.com.
Smart and effective grassroots organizing by Vote Hemp and the
Vermont-based advocacy group Rural Vermont (www.RuralVermont.org) mobilized
farmers and local businesses, many of which pledged to buy their hemp raw
materials in-state if they have the opportunity. Rural Vermont's Director
Amy Shollenberger says that "the Hemp for Vermont bill is another step
toward legalizing this important crop for farmers. The United States is the
only industrialized nation in the world that doesn't allow this crop to be
grown. Looking at the Canadian experience, hemp provides a good return for
the farmer. It's a high-yield crop and a great crop to mix in with corn."
Vermont grows an average of 90,000 acres of corn per year, a small
amount compared to Midwest states; however, the need for a good rotation
crop exists nationwide. From candle makers to dairymen to retailers,
Vermont voters strongly support hemp farming. Admittedly a niche market
now, hemp is becoming more common in stores and products across the country
every day. Over the past ten years, farmers in Canada have grown an average
of 16,500 acres of hemp per year, primarily for use in food products. In
Vermont, the interest in hemp includes for use in food products, as well as
in quality and affordable animal bedding for the state's estimated 140,000
cows.
"Vermont's federal delegation can now take this law to the U.S.
Congress and call for a fix to this problem of farmers missing out on a
very useful and profitable crop," comments Eric Steenstra, President of
Vote Hemp. "North Dakota farmers who want to grow hemp per state law are
currently appealing their lawsuit in the federal courts. The real question
is whether these hemp-friendly state congressional delegations feel
compelled to act," adds Steenstra.
Rural Vermont's Shollenberger states that "the Vermont law is
significant for two reasons. First, no other state until now has followed
North Dakota's lead by creating real-world regulations for farmers to grow
industrial hemp. Second, Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont is Chairman of
the Committee on the Judiciary, as well as a member of the Committee on
Agriculture -- both relevant committees that could consider legislation. We
also have a friend at the USDA in new Secretary Ed Schaffer who signed
North Dakota's hemp bill as Governor. I plan to visit Washington, DC and
try to figure out what Congress and the Administration intend to do."

SOURCE Vote Hemp

MONTPELIER, Vt., July 1 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Vote Hemp, a
grassroots advocacy organization working to give farmers the right to grow
non-drug industrial hemp, is extremely pleased that the Vermont Secretary
of State's office accepted Formal Opinion #2008-1 from the Office of the
Attorney General and gave H.267, the Hemp for Vermont bill, the designation
of Act No. 212 last Friday. There had been a constitutional controversy as
Governor Jim Douglas forwarded H.267 to the Secretary of State intending it
to become law without his signature. The bill had overwhelmingly passed
both the House (127 to 9) and the Senate (25 to 1). The new law sets up a
state-regulated program for farmers to grow non-drug industrial hemp which
is used in a wide variety of products, including nutritious foods,
cosmetics, body care, clothing, tree-free paper, auto parts, building
materials and much more. Learn more about industrial hemp at:
www.VoteHemp.com.
Smart and effective grassroots organizing by Vote Hemp and the
Vermont-based advocacy group Rural Vermont (www.RuralVermont.org) mobilized
farmers and local businesses, many of which pledged to buy their hemp raw
materials in-state if they have the opportunity. Rural Vermont's Director
Amy Shollenberger says that "the Hemp for Vermont bill is another step
toward legalizing this important crop for farmers. The United States is the
only industrialized nation in the world that doesn't allow this crop to be
grown. Looking at the Canadian experience, hemp provides a good return for
the farmer. It's a high-yield crop and a great crop to mix in with corn."
Vermont grows an average of 90,000 acres of corn per year, a small
amount compared to Midwest states; however, the need for a good rotation
crop exists nationwide. From candle makers to dairymen to retailers,
Vermont voters strongly support hemp farming. Admittedly a niche market
now, hemp is becoming more common in stores and products across the country
every day. Over the past ten years, farmers in Canada have grown an average
of 16,500 acres of hemp per year, primarily for use in food products. In
Vermont, the interest in hemp includes for use in food products, as well as
in quality and affordable animal bedding for the state's estimated 140,000
cows.
"Vermont's federal delegation can now take this law to the U.S.
Congress and call for a fix to this problem of farmers missing out on a
very useful and profitable crop," comments Eric Steenstra, President of
Vote Hemp. "North Dakota farmers who want to grow hemp per state law are
currently appealing their lawsuit in the federal courts. The real question
is whether these hemp-friendly state congressional delegations feel
compelled to act," adds Steenstra.
Rural Vermont's Shollenberger states that "the Vermont law is
significant for two reasons. First, no other state until now has followed
North Dakota's lead by creating real-world regulations for farmers to grow
industrial hemp. Second, Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont is Chairman of
the Committee on the Judiciary, as well as a member of the Committee on
Agriculture -- both relevant committees that could consider legislation. We
also have a friend at the USDA in new Secretary Ed Schaffer who signed
North Dakota's hemp bill as Governor. I plan to visit Washington, DC and
try to figure out what Congress and the Administration intend to do."
SOURCE Vote Hemp